Microsoft adds Google to their Motorola patent lawsuit

Microsoft's ongoing patent infringement lawsuit against Motorola just got a whole lot more interesting, where they've added Google to the case. This will now be very interesting here on out, as Google are the ones making Android that go in their competitors phones.

Microsoft have claimed that adding Google to their existing lawsuit is because they are relying partly on data that Motorola says rests in the hands of Google, who recently acquired the phone maker.

The claims from Microsoft state that there's a method for mobile devices to obtain a map from a database and location data from a separate database before overlaying both sets of information. Microsoft claim that the Google Maps app on Motorola's Android-based devices violates a patent that the Redmond-based company holds on this particular function.

Google replied to the expansion of Microsoft's patent lawsuit saying that while it would like to "focus on innovation, not litigation", the Mountain View-based company are prepared to "vigorously defend against any amended complaint Microsoft files". Game on, in other words.